MORE MISREPRESENTATION

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXVII, Issue 8347, 6 February 1913, Page 6

MORE MISREPRESENTATION

It is occasionally somewhat difficult to follow the tortuous windings of the editorial mind of tho squatters’ journal, but tho exercise of forbearing patience eventually brings the reader to the point of comprehension, and at this stage it will generally bo realised that the purpose in view is political misrepresentation. It was a very perplexing course, and one requiring tho use of every device of casuistry, that yesterday enabled the squatters’ organ to arrive at tho unwarrantable conclusion that Liberalism was opposed to tho new defence system. It is difficult to under stand what self-styled Reform hopes to gain by putting forward such a hopelessly unsupportable contention. Whatever credit is duo for tho establishment of the defence system must bo conceded to Liberalism and to it alone. If the system could have been wrecked, the self-styled Reformers would most assuredly have wrecked it at the time of the general election in the desire to use it as a weapon with which to scourge Sir Joseph Ward. Much of the feeling stirred up ■ against Sir Joseph because of the gift of the Dreadnought was created in the first instance by the wire-pullers of the “Reformers” with the object of inflaming the popular mind against him and winning votes from him and his party. Now, however, that the Dreadnought is fitted out and ready for service, and there is the opportunity of winning an approving smile from the King, we find the Hon, James Allen and the Son. Thomas Alaclrenzio full in the glare of the limelight and are prompted to wonder at the absence of Sir Joseph Ward, the man, whose patriotic and Imperialistic spirit prompted the magnificent gift, and who in conseg nance was made the subject of much unmerited abuse. Put this paltriness is only in keeping with the whole policy of the self-styled Reformers in dishonestly appropriating to themselves all the credit of establishing the system and passing on to their opponents the odium arising from oppressive and arbitrary examples of its' operation. It is too early yet to forget that at the farewell banquet to the Hon. James Allen, prior to his departure for the Old Country, that gentleman was content to accept the honour of bringing tho system into operation, to sit placidly beaming while the laurels were being wreathed around his head, and, at the same time, to maintain a studied silence concerning the , splendid work done by the Hon. R. MoNab in touring the country at bis own expense, educating the people concerning tho proposals, and creating a strong public feeling in favour of the scheme. Qu that occasion, the Hon. James Allen was the only man in a position to concede to Air McNab the measure of credit that was fairly his, and yet ho was content to remain silent, and accept as his own due the honour that was the right of his political opponent. So also with this paltry device of endeavouring to create in the public mind the false idea that Liberalism, which founded the defence system, is opposed to it and secretly working to accomplish its destruction, If the defence system is suffering any injury, it is because of the vacillating policy of administration pursued by the socalled Reformers —a policy that can ho described only as pitifully weak one day and harsh and arbitrary the next. It is also because of such indefensible happenings as the offer of eight thousand territorials for foreign service whenever required. We need go no further for an illustration of onr argument that the administration is weak than the unseemly occurrence narrated only yesterday in the press telegrams from Whangarei where the senior cadets turned their parade into a burlesquo by “appearing in variegatedcoloured socks and suspenders,” marching round the parade-hall singing “Here we go Round the Mulberry Bush,” “What’s the Matter with Father,” and shouting “Whoa” at each command from tho sergeant-major to halt. Why, if the “Reform’* Government is anxious for the success of the system, does it not grasp the nettle and stop burlesques of this kind? This unseemly exhibition, by the way, did not happen in a Labour centre, nor yet in a Liberal community, but in a town that is one of the strongholds of “Reform” and has been continuously represented by a .staunch supporter of Mr Mftssoy for tlie fifteen years.